The present invention relates to watches.
In particular, the present invention relates to watch cases designed to house the watch movement.
It is conventional to utilize for cases of wristwatches or pocket watches a metal such as stainless steel, brass, nickel, silver, gold, or platinum. These materials are used for a number of reasons among which is the reason that such materials have sufficient strength to withstand the daily use of the watch while protecting the internal movement. In addition, the appearance of the watch case has become of increasing importance during recent times, and metals such as those referred to above have not only the required strength but also the required appearance. Thus, various types of known watch cases have been manufactured in such a way that the watch case is made of brass with a chrome plating, or the watch case is made of stainless steel, while other watch cases are made of precious metals such as white gold, green gold, etc. Over the years the manufacture of watch cases has developed from the time when artistic pocket watches with engraving on the watch case were preferred until the present time where watch cases of relatively simple structure are mass produced.
Although many years have passed since watch cases of the above type have been manufactured, no notable improvements have been made in the watch cases. Thus, with respect to strength, conventional watch cases are not satisfactory in that they are easily scratched or scarred, for example, as a result of impact against foreign bodies, rubbing against foreign bodies, or contact with personal belongings or the like. In addition, with respect to esthetic appearance, conventional watch cases have not been satisfactory inasmuch as machining is essential at the final finishing stage, and as a result many desired configurations of a watch case cannot be manufactured because of the limitations resulting from the machining requirements.
For reasons of comfort as well as appearance it is highly desirable to make a watch, particularly a wristwatch, as thin as possible. However, because of the strength requirements, metal watch cases of the type referred to above cannot be made as thin as desired.
Furthermore, it is customary with most metal watch cases to provide a removable back cover which either has a press fit or a threaded fit. Because of the high costs which would be involved in providing a watch case having an integral back wall, such removable covers are customary. However, these covers create problems such as problems with retaining the cover in position as well as problems with respect to access of tiny dust particles into the interior of the watch case.
In addition, moisture can enter into the interior of conventional watch cases through the connection at the back cover, or moisture can be undesirably created due to condensation as when an individual uses a watch out in cold weather and then enters into a relatively warm room where humidity is relatively high.
Furthermore, with conventional watch cases because of the machining requirements it is not possible to avoid sharp edges and corners which undesirably catch on clothing and other articles providing injury thereto in an undesirable manner.
Also, it is not always possible to provide for a watch a color which is desired.